Justice Zavascki was overseeing an investigation into dozens of politicians

The justice was overseeing an investigation into dozens of politicians.

Mr Zavascki had been reviewing highly anticipated testimony from dozens of executives at engineering group Odebrecht, which is expected to implicate hundreds of politicians in the biggest corruption case in Brazil's history.

The crash killed at least 71 of 77 people during a charter flight to Medellin, including members of the Brazilian Chapecoense soccer squad on its way to the Copa Sudamericana finals. Three players, two crew members and one journalist survived, Colombian authorities said.

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Brazilian Chapecoense footballer Alan Ruschel (C), one of the survivors of the LaMia airliner air crash in Colombia two weeks ago, arrives at hospital in Chapeco, Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil, on December 13, 2016

The sprawling investigation, involving at least £1.6billion in bribes for contracts with state-run enterprises, has led to the jailing of dozens of senior executives and threatens to batter the ruling coalition of President Michel Temer.

Under Supreme Court rules, Mr Zavascki's case load would normally fall to the justice named by President Temer to replace him, but an exception can be made for urgent matters, according to a court representative.